Bradley: For Derek Jeter, time to get back into Yankee pinstripes

Michael Mancuso/The Times of TrentonDerek Jeter will rejoin the Yankees in Cleveland on Monday, just six hits away from 3,000 for his career.

TRENTON — And so Derek Jeter’s road to 3,000 hits took an unplanned detour through the state capital for the last two nights. History was delayed because of the calf strain that put Jeter on the disabled list for the last 17 days, but the setback wasn’t all bad.

Twenty-eight members of the Trenton Thunder got a chance to hang with a future Hall of Famer, watch him work out and pick his brain. Maybe a handful of the Trenton players will get a shot in the big leagues one day, and one or two may even become stars.

But for many of the Thunder players, the weekend Jeter joined them, before finishing off his climb to 3,000, will be the highlight of their professional baseball careers.

Even little things like getting a chance to see Jeter don a special, commemorative – gawdy — stars and stripes Thunder jersey, and watching as one of Trenton’s trained golden retriever bat dogs fetched the All-Star shortstop’s bat, provide a memory. But it’s time to move on.

“No pain,” Jeter said after playing six innings. “I’m looking forward to rejoining my teammates and getting back on the field.”

Yankee general manager Brian Cashman agreed, saying, “He’s ready.”

Jeter, who will join the Yankees in Cleveland today and is expected to be in the lineup, batted leadoff for the Thunder tonight. Although he struck out and made a throwing error in the game — a low throw that Mark Teixeira would have picked cleanly 99 percent of the time — he was clearly moving well as he beat out a bunt single in the fifth inning and went first to third on an error.

He said of his decision to bunt in his final at bat, “They were playing back and we needed baserunners. You come here and you still to play the game the right way.” Typical Jeter play.

“I just want to thank him,” said Thunder manager Tony Franklin, a 60-year-old career minor-leaguer. “Having Derek here for two days, so our guys could see the way he goes about his daily business, the love he has for the game, it’s been very special. I’m going to miss having him around, but I’m so thankful he was able to be a part of our team.”

Sure it’s sappy, but in Double-A, where realistic dreams end for so many players, the chance to play in front of a a couple of packed houses, to have reporters milling about, well, it just doesn’t happen every day in Trenton, Altoona or any of the other bus stops in the Eastern League. Franklin said Jeter not only went through his rehab work, but also made sure to answer the questions of inquisitive Thunder players.

“Playing next to him is a dream come true,” said Jose Pirela, a 21-year-old shortstop from Venezuela, who moved to second base today so Jeter could get his reps. Speaking through a translator, Pirela said, “I just want to take advantage of this opportunity. I wanted to learn as much from him as I can while he’s here.”

The last time Jeter was a regular at Double-A was 1994, when he played 34 games for Albany-Colonie before making the jump to Triple-A Columbus, where he finished the season. Jeter played at three different levels in ’94, beginning the season at Class-A Tampa, moving on to Albany-Colonie and heading to Columbus, just as big-leaguers were heading into the work stoppage that would force cancellation of the World Series.

In 1994, Jeter was also just one year separated from Class-A Greensboro and the season where he committed 56 errors at shortstop. As he’s evolved into a superstar and five-time World Series champion, Jeter has spoken openly about his early years in professional baseball and how those years were not easy. “I remember when I first managed him, I think he’d gone through his entire high school season without ever striking out,” recalled Yankee scout Gary Denbo, who managed or coached Jeter in each of his first four pro seasons. “We had a doubleheader in the Gulf Coast League and I think he struck out five or six times in one day. I had to explain to him that was a normal part of the process.”

Jeter has talked about running up astronomical phone bills to his parents in Kalamazoo, Mich., back in those days, and doubting his own ability to the point of contemplating quitting. In other words, he was a long, long way from 3,000 hits. But Denbo says if Jeter was homesick and doubting himself, he never let on. “All I remember,” said Denbo, “is getting to the ballpark every morning and seeing Derek and Ricky Ledee sitting on the picnic tables waiting for someone to throw them batting practice. He always had a smile on his face, and he was always ready to work hard at improving himself.”

Jeter barely smiled today. “No one likes to miss games,” he said. “But if you play long enough, these things happen. I feel fine now and I’m ready to go.”

In Trenton, 28 players are thankful he was able to step in for two of nights.